Georgetown vs. China: Goodwill Game Turns To Bad Brawl | Sports

(Via HuffingtonPost.com)

BEIJING — A bench-clearing brawl at an exhibition game between American and Chinese basketball teams Thursday marred the orchestrated harmony of U.S. Vice President Joe Biden’s visit to China.

The fight between the Georgetown University men’s basketball team and the Bayi Rockets on Thursday night in Beijing forced the game to end early. Biden did not attend the game. However, on Wednesday he watched the Georgetown team beat the Shanxi Zhongyu Brave Dragons 98-81.

Georgetown Hoyas head coach John Thompson III said in an emailed statement that the team regretted the incident.

“Tonight, two great teams played a very competitive game that unfortunately ended after heated exchanges with both teams,” he said. “We sincerely regret that this situation occurred.”

The brawl Thursday was the latest instance of on-court fighting by China, whose players have been fined tens of thousands of dollars by the world and Asian federations for scrapping with opponents.

Photos from the game circulating on China’s popular microblog Sina Weibo show players from both teams pushing one another.

The Washington Post said the melee broke out in the fourth quarter as members of both teams tackled and threw punches at one another. Chairs and water bottles were also thrown as the Georgetown players left the court with about nine-and-a-half minutes remaining.

The Georgetown Hoyas are in China on a 10-day goodwill trip which has been cited by the U.S. State Department as an example of sports diplomacy that strengthens ties between the two countries’ peoples. The team was briefed by the State Department ahead of its departure on what to expect during its trip to Beijing and Shanghai, according to news releases on the university’s website.

“We remain grateful for the opportunity our student-athletes are having to engage in a sport they love here in China, while strengthening their understanding of a nation we respect and admire at Georgetown University,” Thompson III said.

A U.S. Embassy official called it an “unfortunate” incident.

“We look to these types of exchanges to promote good sportsmanship and strengthen our people-to-people contact with China,” the official said.

Earlier in the day, some friction also arose as reporters covering Biden’s visit encountered some restrictions. During Biden’s meeting with Chinese officials, White House press handlers believed they had an agreement that reporters would be permitted to remain in the room until Biden had completed his opening remarks.

However, Chinese security officers began telling reporters to leave while Biden was speaking, leading to whispered objections and some reporters being led from the room.

Fan Appreciation Day at Redskins Park | Sports

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Check out video from the annual Fan Appreciation Day at Redskins Park!

Video courtesy of WUSA9.

Redskins Revamp Defensive Line With Cofield, Bowen | Sports

(Via Fox 5)

ASHBURN, Va. – Washington’s two new defensive lineman know what’s it’s like to beat up on the Redskins.

Barry Cofield and Stephen Bowen were a combined 15-5 against the Redskins during their previous five seasons in the NFC East. Now Washington hopes they have that same type of success for them.

But after signing lucrative contracts last week that included guarantees of $25 million, nose tackle Cofield and right end Bowen now comprise two-thirds of the front of Washington’s 3-4 defense — which allowed an NFC-high 389.3 yards per game last season.

“We got two real good players,” said linebacker London Fletcher. “Barry is intense. He’s physical. He’s feisty. He plays with good leverage. Stephen’s a big, explosive, powerful guy with some pass-rush ability. And he has experience in the 3-4.”

Cofield was a five-year starter with the New York Giants, but the $36 million, six-year offer from the Redskins was too enticing to reject.

“It was easy to come here, but it wasn’t easy to leave New York,” said the 6-foot-4, 306-pound Cofield, who won a Super Bowl with the Giants four years ago. “It was hard to walk away from five years of memories and friendships. But I love this defense.

“I thought it was great coaching and a great scheme last year. It just needed the right pieces. Now I feel like we have the right pieces.”

In addition to Cofield and Bowen, the Redskins drafted Ryan Kerrigan in the first round to play left outside linebacker and signed cornerback Josh Wilson from Baltimore and safety O.J. Atogwe from St. Louis.

Bowen started just two games for Dallas until the final nine contests of 2010, but he still impressed Cofield.

“You don’t usually get a (306)-pound man who can move like that,” Cofield said.

Bowen said the Cowboys worried about getting Cofield blocked every time they faced the Giants.

“And Barry still made a lot of plays,” raved Bowen. “He’s got deceptive speed and he’s very strong. When they signed Barry, I knew we’d have a chance to be a dominant front, a chance to win a lot more games than people expect. I’m looking forward to going down to Dallas in Week 3 and making a statement.”

Notes: Kerrigan, two-time Pro Bowl tight end Chris Cooley and return specialist Brandon Banks remained out with knee injuries. X-rays of Malcolm Kelly’s injured foot were negative, but the oft-injured receiver was on the sidelines for a second straight day. The Redskins will hold Fan Appreciation Day on Saturday. Practice starts at noon.

Kevin Durant Goes Off At Rucker Park | Sports

DMV’s Kevin Durant goes to Rucker Park yesterday and sets the place on fire, in this video he hits back to back to back to back three’s, leaving him with 66 points by the nights end. We’re blessed to have the NBA scoring champ come straight out of our area!

Redskins Hold First Training Camp Practice Friday

(via Fox 5)

Here’s essentially all you need to know about the Washington Redskins first training camp practice: The quarterbacks were John Beck and Ben Chappell. And there was no punter.

About 60 players were on the field Friday morning, or roughly two-thirds of the number allowed under the post-lockout rules. The incoming veteran free agents were not allowed to sign their contracts until later in the day according to this year’s unusual timetable, and they won’t be allowed to practice until Aug. 4 — after a new collective bargaining agreement is ratified.

That meant there was no Santana Moss, Barry Cofield, Donte’ Stallworth, Josh Wilson, Kellen Clemens, Stephen Bowen, Chris Chester nor Sav Rocca. All those presents, purchased over the last few days, have to stay wrapped under the tree a while longer.

The Redskins did have all 12 draft picks signed and present, including first-round linebacker Ryan Kerrigan, who agreed to terms late Thursday. Otherwise, everything was so much in flux that the public relations department was scrambling to produce up-to-date rosters to distribute to reporters for practice. Coach Mike Shanahan decided to wait until 6 p.m. to address the media so that he could give a fuller assessment of the state of his team.

Offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan said the Redskins still plan to re-sign Rex Grossman to compete with Beck for the starting job. For now, however, Beck is getting all the first-team snaps, repetition after repetition, with undrafted rookie Chappell from Indiana mopping up the rest.

“Having this week where I do get the majority of the reps, I’m lovin’ it,” Beck said. “Because I want all those reps. Because reps for me equal experience, and experience helps me win.”

Clemens, the former New York Jets backup, will give the Redskins another quarterback in camp, but he’ll start off at third string behind Beck and Grossman.

Nearly every unit on the field Friday was a hodgepodge that won’t resemble the team’s look when it opens the regular season in September. The offensive line was missing new right guard Chester, and the right tackle spot remains unsettled. The punter and holder? That’ll be Rocca, once he’s allowed to practice. Meanwhile, special teams assistant Richard Hightower had to hold when kicker Graham Gano was attempting field goals.

Some sported new numbers. Tight end Fred Davis is now No. 83. New safety O.J. Atogwe opted for No. 20 instead of his usual No. 21 out of respect for late Redskins safety Sean Taylor.

The players wore shorts for the practice, but that did little to counter the oppressive heat that was settling in. Linebacker Perry Riley was treated for cramps, defensive tackle Anthony Bryant left the field on a cart, and receiver Leonard Hankerson also suffered from apparent heat-related fatigue.

Note: S LaRon Landry, who has been nursing Achilles’ tendon, shoulder and wrist injuries during the offseason, was limited in practice. He said the shoulder and wrist are OK, but he’s playing it safe with the leg. “Everything’s fine,” he said. “Just want to make sure it’s strong enough to endure the whole season.”

Washington Redskins Cut Phillip Daniels | Sports

(via BleacherReport)

The Washington Redskins had a busy day of cuts Thursday, releasing seven players to clear cap space and reshuffle the roster.

Among the cuts was 38-year-old defensive end Phillip Daniels who had become a fan favorite over his six seasons with the team.

Daniels spent his offseason strength conditioning and was reportedly stronger and more motivated than ever heading into his 2011 campaign after finishing last season on injured reserve.

The 15-year veteran was kind and humbled in a statement posted in Twitter after he received news of his release.

“Thank you to the Redskins organization for (seven) great years,” he wrote. “It’s tough to say goodbye when you have bled burgundy & gold for so many years. . . I want to keep playing football and proud of what I have accomplished as a Redskin.”

Also released Thursday was fellow defensive lineman Ma’ake Kemoeatu who wasn’t a true fit for Jim Haslett’s 3-4 defensive scheme.

Kemoeatu appeared in 14 games with 12 starts and recorded 29 tackles in his only season with the team.

The 32-year-old also posted comments on Twitter, albeit of a much shorter variety than Daniels.

“Thank you redskin nation you guys been Great,” he wrote.

DC Residents “Celebrate” Haynesworth Exit

ESPN.com —- Before defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth could get to training camp and take his conditioning test, the Washington Redskins traded him to the New England Patriots for a 2013 fifth-round draft pick, according to league sources.

Haynesworth still must pass his physical, and Patriots coach Bill Belichick said Thursday morning that the trade was not yet completed.

“I talked to [Redskins coach] Mike Shanahan last night and we’re in the process of acquiring Haynesworth, but that’s not complete yet, so I can’t really comment on that at this point until it’s completed — if it does get completed,” Belichick said during a news conference. “So, we’ll see how that goes.”

Haynesworth clashed repeatedly with Shanahan and frequently skipped workouts. Shanahan suspended him for the final four games of last season for conduct detrimental to the team.

The 30-year-old Haynesworth was at his best when playing in the 4-3 scheme as a Tennessee Titan and seemed to prefer that over the Redskins’ 3-4 defense.

The Patriots, though, run plenty of multiple fronts, and Haynesworth lends needed help along their defensive line for a reduced price.

The former Pro Bowl player’s base salary for the coming season is $5 million. He is two years into a seven-year, $100 million contract that the Redskins signed him to in 2009, which included a then-NFL record $41 million in guaranteed money.

He played only 20 games with the Redskins, recording 6½ sacks.

Well, bye! Now you can go be some other team’s headache. All the assault charges, road rages, and quiting… arguments with Coach… not worth it, he costs to much to be such a major headache.

LaVar Arrington Speaks on Redskins Bringing Back Santana Moss | Sports

(via Washington Post)

Santana Moss received a three-year, $15 million contract extending his stay in Washington. It’s a good move on multiple levels for Moss and the Redskins.

Moss has been the team’s most reliable and productive wide receiver, not to mention a leader in the meeting room, locker room and on the field.

It makes sense to bring back Moss; without him, the Redskins would have had a big hole at wide receiver. So the team addressed a pressing need, and also brought back a player who is familiar with the team’s offensive playbook.

I expect the Redskins to try and further bolster the position and go after another wide receiver, but for this season Moss’s familiarity will be the wild card coming out of the work stoppage. Washington has a very talented draft pick in Leonard Hankerson, who happens to share a college (Miami) with Moss. I think that will also go a long way as I’m sure these two have already worked out together and are very familiar with each other, as it is tradition for former Miami players to go back and work out together once they’ve moved on to the NFL.

It’s a win-win if you ask me.

Next up: Barry Cofield, who was a rookie teammate of mine in New York, so I know him as a player. The Redskins reportedly have agreed to terms with the defensive lineman.

I will also talk about Donovan McNabb and how I may have underestimated Coach Mike Shanahan’s ability to deal a devalued player.

NFL Lockout Officially Over, Football’s Back! | Sports

WASHINGTON (AP) — The NFL Players Association executive board and 32 team reps have voted unanimously to approve the terms of a deal to the end the 4 1/2-month lockout.

Owners overwhelmingly approved a proposal last week, but some unresolved issues still needed to be reviewed to satisfy players; the owners do not need to vote again.

The sides worked through the weekend and wrapped up the details Monday morning on a final pact that is for 10 years, without an opt-out clause, a person familiar with the deal told the AP.

Owners decided in 2008 to opt out of the league’s old labor contract, which expired this March. That’s when the owners locked out the players, creating the NFL’s first work stoppage since 1987.

(via @WUSA9)

FOOTBALL’S BACK!

SHOUTOUT TO ALL THE REDSKINS AND RAVEN’S FANS!

End of N.F.L. Lockout Imminent, if Elusive | Sports, News

(via NY Times)

With the executive committee of the N.F.L. Players Association preparing to gather in Washington, a late request by players to have an opt-out clause inserted into the new collective bargaining agreement was the last loose end to be settled before a vote could be taken that would lead to the end of the lockout.

The request by players to have the seven-year clause inserted into the proposed 10-year deal was made late in the negotiating process, which upset owners, said a person briefed on negotiations. Players association officials said the request was not a deal-breaker, but with lawyers writing up the last few changes to the deal on Sunday, a delay in a vote could move back the anticipated start of football by another day.

Executive committee members hope to take a vote on Monday to recommend ratification of the proposed settlement. Then the 32 team player representatives will vote by conference call — also hoped for on Monday, although the votes could slip to Tuesday — and they are also expected to approve the new agreement. With the 10 named plaintiffs in the players’ antitrust suit having already cleared the way for a settlement, those two votes are expected to set in motion the beginning of the season.

While the timeline remained fluid on Sunday afternoon, the doors to team facilities could open to players by midweek, allowing them to fill out paper union cards to re-form the union. Counting those ballots could take several days, but once there are enough to assure re-forming the union — half of the 1,900 players, plus one — the full union membership could vote to ratify the agreement. Only then would training camps open and player transactions be allowed, which will happen almost certainly no earlier than this weekend and perhaps not until the start of next week.

Check out this article via NFL.com

Playtime’s over … or about to begin